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Mar. 15, 2009 - Robert Pearce meeting update

3/13/09

Fellow Neighbors,

At our March 12 neighborhood meeting there was much discussion
regarding the recent special city commission meeting dealing with the
cleanup standard requirement and the potential land use change on the
Koppers site.

Lest there be any misapprehension about the presentation I made on
behalf of the neighborhood at the city commission meeting, below are
the verbatim excerpts from that presentation relating to the issues
raised at Thursday’s meeting.

“I have provided you with a Resolution from the Neighborhood
Association requesting remediation of the site to residential cleanup
target levels. That is our strong desire.

“If the city commission ultimately determines that in fact the
residential cleanup standard over the entire site is an impossibility,
then at the very least, on the western portion of the property where
it abuts the residential single family neighborhood, the requirement
there, at least, should be to residential cleanup target levels.

“The western portion of the parcel is also where residential cleanup
target levels could most easily and affordably be attained, because
this is where logs are stored prior to treatment, in contrast to the
post-treatment storage area on the east. Neither would any of the
four primary source contaminant areas have to be substantially
involved, which are outlined in red on this map.

“I would also argue that MU-1 land use would be a much more
appropriate and compatible land use than MU-2 (city staff’s proposal),
at least on the western half of the parcel.

“In contrast (to MU-2), a land use designation that includes a
detached residential component, such as MU-1, would yield a more
robust and desirable residential cleanup requirement.

“A cleanup to residential standards, at least on the western half of
the property, would allow for redevelopment that is the least toxic,
and the most compatible for the location.”

I hope this alleviates any confusion that may have developed from the
discussion at Thursday’s meeting.

Audrey Mazzuca (“mazooka”), Gainesville Police Department, Corporal, spoke on three (3) incidents occurring in past reporting period including a strong-arm robbery. Wes will place her e-address our blog. She will send to SFNA the right-of-way parking rules under debate. Denny Bellsheim, StFstr resident achieved cancellation of parking tickets written in his area through direct citizen protests. Phoning, complaining and distributing a flier got tickets torn-up, thrown out.

Discussion on right of way. Who's city is this anyway ! With Cpl Mazzuca's help it is realized that ticket citations are issued by overzealous Police Service Technicians and not by GPD Officers. She also advised that certain neighborhoods are authorized for on-street parking while other neighborhoods are not. Cpl. Mazucca will investigate and report back on right-of-way ticketing. GPD will issue parking ticket when investigating a complaint received but only then and GPD doesn't arbitrarily issue tickets when they see a car parked on side of road for the fun of it.

Shall we invite Commissioner Poe to our meeting to confront this dilemma? Should SFNAssoc. committee be started to investigate further ?

B. Name of out organization

Poll from our blog was 8 votes for Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association. It outscored any other name. Much discussion. Some felt too few votes were gotten no matter how they were collected. Ron Nichols states we waste too much time on this naming issue. Others felt we had well used the time on this naming because after all an fine sounding name wins people over.

Motion by Deidre PASSED that name should properly be Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association. Others unsatisfied with voice vote. Hand-count obtained a slim margin 15 for Association and 14 hands agin' it. More dissatisfaction with results because we don't have a true definition of what a neighborhood 'association' really means. More discussion.

Can our organization name be re-voted in future? Discussion on fairness of too high reliance on blog to get fair representation of SFN area residents. Some seniors have no 'puter or use blog. Suggestion we table naming matter till election of the organization's new officers.

Map of Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association

Where are the signs that state 'paradise' located ?

Map boundaries. Shall we include north of 39th Ave.? Officer Mazucca will survey and find out and report back to us if those residents are interested in SFN people like us.

We are sad that John Wechtel, City government did not join us this evening. It's reported we can get larger sized street sign for the neighborhood. Price of bus stop shelter is $6000 and no other prices exist. That is lowest price.

March 24 election. Candidate's Forum March 22 Sunday night 7:00PM. Cheryl, Secretary of Parkview Baptist Church, 378-2606 invites everybody. All candidates will be there. Join candidates as they answer questions and share their vision for City of Gainesville.

Cheryl also advises we publicize better because folks continually say how they don't know when, where or whom is running the SFNA meetings. Recommended is use of Gainesville Sun who provides free notification service to get an event published in the Scene magazine section of the Sun.

E. Parking on Right of Way.

4. Committee Reports

A. Phone notification network.

Polling Committee ? To call people to notify 'bout important things such as meeting schedules? Sharon Sheets and Ron Nichols will investigate.

B. Tree Committee.

5. Officers reports.

A. Koppers. Sharon reports March 9 Koppers Updart Special Meeting very discouraging. Koppers sent no representatives. She advises how important citizen involvement is on Koppers issues. This includes dust.

What standard to seek with Koppers. Much discussion.

Residential or mixed industrial commercial. Minutes from Feb 12 SFNA meeting express we seek residential standards at Koppers site. Robert counsels that standard unobtainable and we will stand better chance at more acceptable reasonable MU, Mixed Use because residential level too high and is an unobtainable level no matter how good it might sound. Mixed Use allows lots of mixtures of uses according to Robert. He warns why go to a place that's guaranteed to fail.

Feb 12 minutes should not have stated residential 'land-use' level but a different residential

term.

Discussion on what was presented to City regarding this group's preference of clean-up level. Many voices. Many opine that we go for most grand or ideal result rather than aim too lowly at the beginning and be forced to 'eat' what they give us. Other voices complain the Association not getting its views properly presented by officers so a new election of officers needed.

A special meeting of the Gainesville City Commission will be held at City Hall on Monday, March 9 at 1 PM to discuss changing the Future Land Use designation on the Koppers Superfund Cleanup Site to something other than the current Industrial land use—with the possibility of potential redevelopment of the 90-acre parcel to residential and mixed-use development sometime in the future.

The Koppers site was designated a Federal Superfund Cleanup Site over 25 years ago. There has still been no cleanup of the site—with numerous, significant undesirable consequences.

The discussion will heavily involve the Record of Decision soon to be issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Record of Decision will dictate the level of cleanup required on the site by the “responsible parties”—either to residential or industrial cleanup standards. A representative from USEPA will be at the meeting.

This will be a pivotal meeting regarding the long overdue cleanup of this site and the future potential redevelopment of the parcel to a more compatible and environmentally friendly use in the future.

This will be the only issue on the agenda.

If these matters are of concern to you, please attend the March 9 meeting. It is important for people to simply be there, whether you choose to speak or not.

There will be a preparatory meeting for interested persons at 2 PM on Sunday March 8 at the Parkview Baptist Church Voting room.

Thank you for your support,

Robert Pearce

If you do not wish to receive further notices regarding these matters, please simply reply “Please Remove”.

Feb. 18, 2009 - Koppers Land Use Discussion Meeting Time

February 17, 2009

Madam Mayor and Members of the City Commission,

It is my understanding that a special City Commission meeting is scheduled on March 9 at 1 P.M. to discuss changing the land use designation on the Koppers site to something other than industrial—a discussion that could significantly impact the future well-being of a large area of the city, tens of thousands of residents, and the Springstead Creek ecosystem.

As we are all aware, this is an extraordinarily time-sensitive issue due to the pending USEPA Record of Decision regarding the cleanup standard to be required on the site.

At the February 12 meeting of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association, concern was expressed that the 1 P.M. meeting time would prevent many residents from attending. We ask that the meeting be held in the evening, if that is possible.

In April 2007 the “Stephen Foster Neighborhood Action Plan” was prepared by the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association and the City of Gainesville Community Development Department. The Stephen Foster Neighborhood was subsequently granted $15,000 as part of the Neighborhood Planning Program. Participants in creating the action plan identified the top 4 potential projects as follows:

1. Better traffic control signs and traffic calming

2. Neighborhood identification signs

3. Beautification/landscaping

4. Enhanced/improved right-of-way maintenance

Additional information, suggestions, and subsequent discussions at our regular neighborhood meetings and on the blog have thus far distilled out the following potential projects and some of their costs:

I suggest that the money available be spent on bus shelters. Any balance remaining could be put towards trees.

Kamaria Faucher

The amount I would like to go into each of these projects ($15,000 total):

1) Stephen Foster Neighborhood identifications signs 0

2) Trees (ornamental/fruit) 500

3) Bus shelters 1000

Miriam Hill

1) Stephen Foster Neighborhood identifications signs. This should be Priority

2) Trees (ornamental/fruit) $0

This neighborhood is under a heavy canopy of trees, so much so that you can barely see the homes in Google Maps under all the trees. I have 19 trees in my own yard. This grant should fulfill a need for the neighborhood. Besides, how would trees be distributed fairly? This makes the least sense.

3) Bus shelters/1 to 2 as needed $6k -12k

Sandy Kennedy

I am also concerned about maintaining the tree canopy in our neighborhood. This will not remain a heavily treed area if the canopy is not cared for; trees have varying life spans, and saplings tend to grow quite slowly. In 2008, we lost about half a dozen mature oak trees on our street alone. This has made a difference in the character of the lane. Does the $100- $150 price quoted include planting & some maintenance? Would these trees be large saplings?

Has the creation of a park for our neighborhood been considered? It would be wonderful to have a place for our children to gather out of doors (us adults too)! With a dog run maybe?

New neighborhood street signs might be nice, but I don't think they would really enhance the quality of life for residents of our area- are there a problem with the existing signs?

A bus shelter on each side of 6th Street would be helpful for folks in our neighborhood who regularly use the RTS. One on 13th Street might be helpful too, but these look to be quite expensive.

Overall, I'd like to see the primary emphasis on planting and maintaining a variety of ornamental and fruit trees, with secondary emphasis on the construction of at least one bus shelter, street signs running a distant third place. I would also like to start brainstorming on the creation of a neighborhood park...

Thanks for your attention!

1) Stephen Foster Neighborhood identifications signs $1,260

(3 signs for 13th St, 3 signs for west side of 6th St

& 3 signs for east side of 6th St?)

2) Trees (ornamental/fruit) $7,740

3) Bus shelters $6,000

Mom Lyon

1) Stephen Foster Neighborhood identifications signs 0.00

2) Trees (ornamental/fruit) $50,000 value at NO COST

3) Bus shelters $15,000

with each shelter expense under $1,000 (John Wachtel promised in November

to obtain pics & prices for us for shelter for 1 to 5 persons at various cost tiers)

Sharon Sheets

I've been hesitant to put money amounts to any of the choices w/o more focused work/discussion among us,----

Where would bus shelters be placed and why in those locations? To me, their cost seems rediculously expensive and not necessarily where I'd want to put $ if it were mine to spend to enhance our neighborhood.

As for signage, I've no interest in spending grant $ to pay for historical signs, as it wouldn't at all affect anyone's real quality of life here. (Maybe some rich historical buff neighbor might gift us in their will to help us out?) Ha! If and when the actual boundaries of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood have been agreed upon, perhaps we could somehow use signage to mark the north-south-east-west margins such that we all know "our people." Seriously tho, my only interest in knowing where our boundaries are is so I can perhaps let others in the SFN know of anything that might be of interest to them socially, politically, etc., and how we might all connect w/one another more efficiently and positively.

Regarding landscaping/beautification, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have to spend much money at all if we were to utilize the parks/recreation resources that John Wachtel has spoken of (up to 100 free shade trees?!). If we were to all take advantage of the GRU Tree-mendous Day the first Sat in May (give-away of two trees/shrubs, many varieties of which are ornamental, and some fruiting to any GRU users who participate)....we could landscape wonderfully. Additional fruiting or other trees/shrubs could easily be purchased from many of our county native plant folks who would happily give us discounts. (I've already spoken to several at our farmers' markets and elsewhere.)

My heart is w/Sandy Kennedy's in a strong desire to find a piece of property to develop a neighborhood park to relax and enjoy one another's company (preferably w/a pet-friendly component). Additionally, I'm just as desirous to have a wonderful community garden to dig in and feed healthy food to our families and friends. These two things are the MOST important to me, followed by maintaining and adding to our present landscape.

Lastly, if I'm remembering John Wachtel's comments re the grant monies, there is no deadline date for spending our gift. I prefer to give as much time as it takes to come up with some good plans for our expenditures. Perhaps we might even make designated time outside of our monthly mtg to discuss this matter further?

Robert Pearce

We are still in the process of gathering information on several potential projects for which our grant monies could be spent. Since the time the survey poll was first made available, additional information, input, and further thought lead me to the following opinions thus far:

1) I believe neighborhood identification signs would serve a valuable purpose towards unifying the neighborhood, and are a high priority. And, very importantly, they could also incorporate a traffic calming logo such as "Watch for Children"--a serious need that we have recently been acutely reminded of. For less than one third (approximately $5,000) of our total budget, identification/traffic calming signs can be installed at every street entrance to the neighborhood (approximately 30).

2) Whereas I had originally been in favor of spending about half ($7500) of our funds on trees, it appears that city resources can go a long ways towards providing trees throughout the neighborhood, and I now think that we should not spend anything towards this until all other resources are first exhausted.

3) I am firmly against spending any money on bus shelters--a single, minimal bus shelter would absorb 40% of our budget. Installing bus shelters also involve establishing easements on private property. In my opinion, although I am a big fan of shade at bus stops, I think paying for bus shelters should be the responsibility of RTS, and as part of site plans as new development occurs, rather than for us to use our meager funds for this purpose.

4) I think that to change out the existing attractive, visible, and uncluttered green and white street signs to black and white signs with additional information on them would be wasteful and a mistake.

5) We are seeking an outside funding source for the purchase of a lot for park/playground/ community garden. Some of our funds could go towards maintenance. The feasibility of this is yet to be determined.

Proposed Budget:

Neighborhood Identification/Traffic calming signs $5,000

Trees 0

Bus shelters 0

Change out street signs 0

Park/playground/garden maintenance Cost unknown

Reserved Balance to be used as decided upon in future

Karen Brown

I think it would be absurd to pay $100. to $150. for trees in this neighborhood. It is already a heavily treed area. I would like to see street signs changed to reflect the historical street names, in addition to the current numbered streets. This would go well with the idea to have Stephen Foster Neighborhood ID signs.

Elke Weibelzahl

It is true that we are the fortunate occupants of a beautifully treed neighborhood. In addition to planting some fruit trees I would love to spend some of the money on maintaining what is already standing strong.

Explanation: In April 2007 the “Stephen Foster Neighborhood Action Plan” was prepared by the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association and the City of Gainesville Community Development Department. The Stephen Foster Neighborhood was subsequently granted $15,000 as part of the Neighborhood Planning Program. Participants in creating the action plan identified the top 4 potential projects as follows:

1. Better traffic control signs and traffic calming

2. Neighborhood identification signs

3. Beautification/landscaping

4. Enhanced/improved right-of-way maintenance

Additional information, suggestions, and subsequent discussions at our regular neighborhood meetings and on the blog have thus far distilled out the following potential projects and some of their costs:

1. a. Stephen Foster Neighborhood decorative identification/

Traffic calming signs (30+ potential street entrances)

(12“x 24“on steel posts installed) $140/each

b. With additional traffic calming logo “Watch for Children”

(18”x24” on steel posts installed) Additional cost unknown

2. Trees (ornamental/fruit) $100-$150/each

3. Bus shelters $6,000 /each

4. Change out all green and white street signs in Neighborhood

to black and white signs that include pre-number era names. Cost unknown

5. Neighborhood park/playground/garden/possible

Wild Spaces-Public Places funds Cost unknown

Guests: Meg Niederhofer/Parks and Recreation

A. TreeMendous Tree Program and

B. Ornamental/fruit tree acquisition/placement/installation.

C. FDOT Restrictions

John Wachtel/ Community Development Department

A. Neighborhood identification/traffic calming signs

B. Bus shelters

D. Name of the neighborhood organization/survey response/discussion/action (10 minutes)

Jan. 29, 2009 - Community Garden/Playground

Fellow Neighbors,

I have been in contact with the city arborist, Meg Niederhofer, regarding the TreeMendous Tree Program and the Fruit/Ornamental tree potentials in association with our SFNA Planning Program Grant.
She will be at our next meeting on February 12 to advise.

I have also been in contact with the Florida Department of Transportation regarding trees along NW 6th Street, as they are actually the ones in charge of right of way in that corridor, not the city. Meeting is being scheduled with the FDOT landscape architect to discuss possibilities.

Meg also suggested that we investigate the possibility of utilizing the Wild Spaces/Public Places program to acquire an empty lot somewhere in the neighborhood for a community garden/playground. I have made the appropriate inquiries, and will make necessary applications. I ask neighborhood residents to please submit possible locations for such as soon as possible.

Jan. 23, 2009 - Robert's letter to the Gainesville City Commission and to the City Manager

I have just sent the following letter to the Gainesville City Commission and to the City Manager.

Robert

Re: USEPA Record of Decision re Koppers/City of Gainesville Land Use Designation

January 23, 2009

Madam Mayor and Members of the City Commission,

As you are aware, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is currently in the process of drafting its Record of Decision regarding the cleanup standard to be required on the 90-acre Koppers Superfund Cleanup Site. The requirement could be to either industrial or residential cleanup standards.

In association with the joint City/County Commission meeting last May 1, the City Commission unanimously passed a resolution urging and requesting the EPA to require a cleanup of the site to residential cleanup standards. This would help to reverse the current and continued saturation and penetration of contaminants on the site, and would allow for redevelopment of the site to a more desirable and appropriate use in the future.

I have just been informed that the issuance of the Record of Decision could come as early as March.

I have also just been informed that a special City Commission meeting is tentatively scheduled on March 9 to discuss changing the land use designation on the parcel to something other than industrial.

Crucial, if not pivotal, to the decision by the EPA regarding the cleanup standard required on the site is the land use designation on the parcel. A land use designation of something other than industrial could yield a significantly different cleanup standard requirement than the current industrial land use.

Clearly, the City Commission needs to determine the appropriate land use designation BEFORE the EPA issues its decision on the cleanup standard.

I therefore ask the City Commission to:

1) Immediately inform the appropriate EPA officials that the Gainesville City Commission is currently in the process of considering changing the land use designation on the Koppers parcel to something other than industrial, based upon the Goals, Objectives and Policies of the City of Gainesville Comprehensive Plan, and

2) Request that the EPA delay issuing its Record of Decision until such time as the Gainesville City Commission determines the appropriate land use designation for the parcel, and

3) Reiterate to the EPA the City of Gainesville's strong desire that EPA require the site to be cleaned up to residential cleanup standards--because there would otherwise be little hope of reversing the continued contamination, and little hope for future redevelopment of the site to a more appropriate and environmentally sensitive land use.

I trust the City Commission understands the time-sensitive nature of these matters, and that this is a one-time opportunity that must be utilized to its fullest.

Are you wondering how to create sustainable change in our community? Do you want to be engaged with improving environmental, social, and economic conditions around you?

Sustainable Alachua County Hosts Community Stakeholder Meeting, February 12, 2009

Sustainable Alachua County (SAC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 to promote discussion and action on issues of sustainability. The mission of Sustainable Alachua County is to provide education and civic participation opportunities that enhance the sustainability and healthy functioning of our environmental, social/cultural, and economic systems.

Sustainable Alachua County is currently reassessing and realigning their mission and goals to best meet the needs of the community. SAC will host a stakeholder meeting on February 12, 2009, 7-9pm in the Fellowship Hall at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 N.E. 1st Street, Gainesville, FL 32601.

President of the SAC Board, Susan Marynowski, notes "With a tighter economy and the effects of global climate change, we are seeing a surging interest in sustainable living. We are eager for the community -- in the broadest sense -- to tell us how SAC can best serve as a hub or clearinghouse for sustainability education.” Sustainable Alachua County is inviting the public to participate and share ideas of how SAC can help the community work and live more efficiently.

The meeting will feature a short presentation on SAC’s history, by Susan Marynowski as well as a short presentation by Sean McClendon, Alachua County Sustainability Manager, on the recent report of the Alachua County Energy Conservation Strategies Committee. Professional facilitators, Bruce Delaney and Wendy-Lin Bartels will lead the meeting to assess sustainability resources in the community, and identify the role SAC can play in identifying and providing resources.

Jan. 17, 2009 - President update January 17, 2009

Fellow Neighbors,

There are several issues I want to report on:

1.Per City Commission discussion at the joint City/County Commission meeting last May 1, a special meeting of the Gainesville City Commission is tentatively being scheduled sometime in March to discuss the possibility of changing the Future Land Use designation on the Koppers site to something other than Industrial. It will be a complex discussion. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this meeting, and I urge everyone with an interest regarding the future of this site to attend.When the date becomes finalized, I will post it.

In conjunction with the aforementioned meeting, I have been informed by city officials that rather than this month (as had been previously expected), it will probably be summer before the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) issues its ROD (Record of Decision) regarding the recommended remediation level (industrial or residential) for the Koppers site.This delay could be very fortuitous.The policies (and personnel) of the new administration might yield a more favorable ROD than what I was previously expecting.And, if the City Commission initiates steps to change the Future Land Use designation on the site to something other than Industrial at its meeting in March, that decision might then influence the ROD by the USEPA.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that we must concentrate our energies on and utilize to the fullest.

2.There have only been 7 responses to the blog survey regarding the allocation of our Planning Program Grant monies.I will post all responses on the blog prior to our next meeting.

In association with our potential purchase of neighborhood identification signs, I am currently in discussion with city officials regarding;

A.Installing "Speed Limit/25 MPH" signs at all entrances to neighborhood,

As many of you already know, last Saturday 6-year-old Jani'yah Irving was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer while riding her bicycle on NW 12th Terrace and NW 32nd Avenue.

I have contacted city officials regarding the possibility of adding "No Trucks" signs to the Neighborhood Identification signs that we are considering purchasing out of our $15,000 Neighborhood Planning Program Grant. I will pass on further information as it becomes available.

Jan. 11, 2009 - Name and Boundary Poll

Name and Boundary Poll

The City of Gainesville currently recognizes the neighborhood organization that meets at the Parkview Baptist Church on the 2nd Tuesday of each month as the "Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association".This organization has also been known in the past as the "Stephen Foster Neighborhood Crimewatch Group."

After discussion at the 1/8/09 meeting of this organization, we are asking for opinions from neighborhood residents about what they think this group should be named—and if different from either of the above two names, what other name?

Additionally, the City of Gainesville GIS Map Library and the City of Gainesville Community Development Department currently identifies NW 39th Avenue as the northern boundary of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood.

Also, after discussion at the 1/8/09 meeting, we are asking for opinions as to whether or not neighborhood residents want to extend the northern boundary farther north to the intersection of NW 13th Street and NW 6th Street (approximately NW 50th Avenue).

I submitted the following letter to the Gainesville City Commission regarding the Federal Legislative Agenda/Koppers Superfund Cleanup Site.

Robert

Re:January 15, 2009 City Commission Meeting Consent Agenda

January 7, 2009

Madam Mayor and City Commissioners;

Upon reviewing the Audit, Finance, and Legislative Committee consent agenda item 080702 regarding the 2010 City of Gainesville Federal Legislative Agenda, under Non-Appropriation Issues/Cabot/Koppers Superfund Site Immediate Measures and Cleanup, I noticed that there is no mention of the ongoing problem of the untreated stormwater runoff flowing directly into Springstead Creek.This is an important consideration that should be included.

I respectfully ask the Commission to add the following sentence, or something similar, into paragraph #4, following sentence #1.

"There is no stormwater management system on the 90-acre Koppers superfund cleanup site.Stormwater runoff flows directly into Springstead Creek-- underscoring the critical importance that the site should be cleaned up to residential standards. "

Jan. 4, 2009 - SFN Grant Survey update

Fellow Neighbors,

In April 2007 the “Stephen Foster Neighborhood Action Plan” was prepared by the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association and the City of Gainesville Community Development Department.The Stephen Foster Neighborhood was subsequently granted $15,000 as part of the Neighborhood Planning Program.

Participants in creating the action plan identified the top 4 potential projects as follows:

1)Better traffic control signs and traffic calming

2)Neighborhood identification signs

3)Beautification/landscaping

4)Enhanced/improved right-of-way maintenance

Additional information and subsequent discussions at our regular neighborhood meetings have thus far distilled out the following potential projects and their costs:

Please note: Our meeting time is limited to 1 hour, so I ask that everyone please be respectful of each other’s time and perspective. All unfinished business will be carried over to the next month's meeting.

Nov. 7, 2008 - Citizens on Patrol Class

Greeting to all,

I apologize for the short notice on this, but I only received the information on the Citizens on Patrol Class yesterday afternoon. I have attached an overview of the program and if you are interested please reply as soon as possible. The first class starts next Wednesday so the coordinator would need to be notified within the next day or so. Please pass this along to the members of your watches. There are approximately 14 seats left in the class and they will be filled on a first come, first served basis. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Oct. 31, 2008 - Stephen Foster Crime Alert

Stephen Foster Crime Alert:

There were two vehicle burglaries that occurred in your neighborhood and another that occurred in the area of NW 39th Ave and NW 13th St. They were all instances where a window was smashed to gain entry and GPS units were stolen from the interior. I have attached a flyer with this email. Can you please pass it along via your email list to the other residents in your area and ask that they in turn spread the word to their neighbors. The key piece of advice would be to continue locking up your vehicles and secure all of your belongings so they are not visible to anyone looking for a quick smash and grab. If you happen to see any suspicious activity, please call it into dispatch immediately. Thank you in advance,

Ofc Harry Young

Gainesville Police Department

Please download and print the flier for distribution to neighbors that do not have email or access to this blog:

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Our History

In 1983
Neighborhood Housing Services, in cooperation with the City of
Gainesville, began a revitalization effort in the community that is
now known as the Stephen Foster Neighborhood. This revitalization
effort had many facets, first and foremost was to create a sense of
community. Neighborhood signs were posted, community events planned,
and neighborhood cleanups scheduled. Recently there have been creek
clean ups and Neighborhood Night Out walks to unify us with our
neighbors.

Since property
owners have a more vested interest in the neighborhood, programs were
developed and funded to assist families with the purchase of first
homes in the neighborhood. Over the years since the first family
moved into the neighborhood, this program changed the face of this
community. An area that was made up primarily of rental homes is now
a diverse community of homeowners and long term leasers.

Currently we have
received a $15,000 grant as part of the City of Gainesville
Neighborhood Planning Program. They only select one or two
neighborhoods per year for this grant money and neighborhood
participation is the cornerstone of this project. If you would like
to be included in working on this project please contact us.